Synth for ambientz/drone/background stuff

[kbit]

KORG VOLCA KEYS

Seriously, I drone all fucking day on that synth. It has a looper built in (which can be unhinged from the sequencer) and you can save 8 loops. The sound all depends on where the knobs are set but all the more for tweaking! I can not recommend it enough, it's an essential piece to my solo ambient/noise pursuits.

[kaeth]

KORG VOLCA KEYS

I read that you can't drone a note/chord on the Volca Keys - that the release is too short, and it just keeps retriggering. What's the actual deal? Do you just have to get creative with the delay?

[Gone Fission]

kurzweil k2000-series (although this is seriously off the deep end of programmability; steep learning curve).

Good patch library editor software is invaluable here for making the depth more readily accessible. (Has anything as good as Galaxy come along since Gibson killed Opcode?) Also, if you go this way, try to get one of the models with the sampler board installed--easier to get new sounds in when the world has generally moved on from the floppy disk.

[oscillateur]

KORG VOLCA KEYS

I read that you can't drone a note/chord on the Volca Keys - that the release is too short, and it just keeps retriggering. What's the actual deal? Do you just have to get creative with the delay?

You can just record a pattern and get it to loop. You have to set it so that it doesn not retrigger the amplitude evenlope (or make sure the attack is at 0) and then it's ok, especially with delay. You still won't get the type of sounds you'd get with a Blofeld or something like that though. Entirely different things... I love my Volca but it wouldn't be my first choice for drones.

[Andrew]

Oh nice, this really saves me from making a duplicate thread.

*THREADJACK*

I'm looking for a mini synth myself. I'm super into writing Sci-Fi-like droney soundscapes with my Superego + Trem but I feel like a Synth might do what I want a little better. I was thinking about plugging in my Beyerdynamic DT-880s and running a few delay pedals

My more available options are the Microkorg or Minibrute, But it needs to be relatively compact - I have zero space. Less money is a good thing, as long as I can get some dark sounds.

[oscillateur]

If you want compact, the Volca Keys is good then . Also cheap (but in a good way, it does sound good).
It's only paraphonic though (mutliple oscillators but only one filter/VCA) but it's a smart nice machine with lots of cool options. you won't get super evolving multilayered pads and drones from it but it's hard to beat its size/price/sound ratio .

[Derelict78]

I love my Shruthi. And Dwarfcraft RotYrBrain through pedalboard.

Dude! The Shruthi seems awesome! Actually all of their synths seem pretty rad.

[kbit]

KORG VOLCA KEYS

I read that you can't drone a note/chord on the Volca Keys - that the release is too short, and it just keeps retriggering. What's the actual deal? Do you just have to get creative with the delay?

You can just record a pattern and get it to loop. You have to set it so that it doesn not retrigger the amplitude evenlope (or make sure the attack is at 0) and then it's ok, especially with delay. You still won't get the type of sounds you'd get with a Blofeld or something like that though. Entirely different things... I love my Volca but it wouldn't be my first choice for drones.

Yeah, looping is how I do it, too. It can be a bit finicky but magical

Even if you dont want to drone all the time it can certainly do ambient stuff. The delay acts like a super lofi reverb with the time at min and feedback at maxium. Slow sequences with some pitch mod and you're on your way. It definitely benefits to have an external delay as well in my experience.

[Disarm D'arcy]

Microkorg will be a lot better if you want really ambient pads and stuff like that. The brutes have a more hands on approach which is fun too, especially as you can mangle the sound like crazy with all that's on board, patching is always fun and it plays nice with pedals.

[Uncle Grandfather]

Korg Monotribe is very fun and versatile, and inexpensive.

[tremolo3]

I think I will get both (microKorg and a brute) and keep the one I like the most.

Those Volcas look interesting but those tiny keys... pass this time.

[blakestree]

For the record, I prefer the Microbrute over the Minibrute. And, I love my Monotribe as a grab-n-go groovebox. But, I don't think a monosynth is what you want. Please consider that.

[Disarm D'arcy]

Yeah the microbrute' sequencer is a lot of fun!

[BoatRich]

I asked this question in the doom room and got a ton of answers specific to that/drone, but I figure I should ask here as well because you guys have gone over a ton of the questions I had. I'm starting an atmospheric, blackened hardcore project with the line up of bass vi, keys/synths, drums, and vocals/noise/whatever. For now I'm going to be writing all the music and I do a lot of ambient stuff on my own so I've been looking into some synths. The mini or micro brute was the one I was leaning towards most heavily until I realized how difficult pads and other ambient textures would be, however I have an AKAI sampler pad/soft synths I could use for that? I'm thinking it would give me the best lead/melody lines with the option to get really nasty/weird sounding. Is there anything else I should be looking at/were you in my situation what route would you take?

[Meta-]

The MicroKorg was my first synth years ago and it's cool but I quickly outgrew the sounds. The MiniNova is a much better sounding mini synth in my opinion. It has a similar layout to the Korg but it's just better. The Korg sounds cheesy and harsh(not in a good way, like it's trying too hard) in comparison. My bandmate is using the MiniNova a lot. It's really versatile and sits well in the mix.

I've also owned a Micron and, while the sounds are good (and more immediately atmospheric than a MicroKorg), programming it is a bitch. Like not fun. Unless you're up for shit tons of menu diving pass it up.

I haven't played any of the Brutes enough to comment but they sound more in-your-face than atmospheric to me.

backwardsvoyaver mentioned the Bolfeld. I fucking love mine. Picked up the desktop version with expanded sound banks for like $400 on ebay. Fuck yes. The pads and atmos are amazing and I find it really easy and fun to edit. It can sound spacey sweet or nasty grimy. The little screen shows you a good visual of ADSR (attack, decay, sustain, release) and filter cutoff/resonance amongst other parameters. Awesome bass and perc sounds too. The Blofeld is a serious little machine so +1 for sure.

My gear is tailored for atmospherics so I'm always on the lookout for musical drone machines. The Streichfett looks like a strange little box that I would really want to put through delay and verb one day.

Also worth looking at is the Yamaha TG33 Vector synth. Dark drones, real-time morphing and just full of character. Mine is up in the BST. It's looking at me right now like fuck you sell me you bitch. Taunting me. I won't be upset if nobody buys it.

Whatever you choose do make sure you have a proper swath of effects to put it trough.